Newsletter

Wild morning leaves deputy injured, 3 in jail (with video)

A St. Johns County Sheriff's deputy's are hit a tree on State Road 13 while involved in a police chase for a car suspected of being involved in an attempted armed robbery on Friday, November 16, 2012. The deputy was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. By Phillip Whitley

A St. Johns County Sheriff's deputy takes Dustin Layne Vann into custody. Vann was later arrested and charged in an attempted armed robbery Friday morning. By PETER WILLOTT, peter.willott@staugustine.com

What started out as a robbery attempt of a woman walking her dog Friday morning set in motion a series of events over 90 minutes that left a St. Johns County Sheriff’s deputy hospitalized, and three people arrested after a manhunt that led deputies across a large swath of the county.

The series of events began shortly before 10:30 a.m. off County Road 13 when a woman said two men approached her as she was walking her dog down Vintage Oak Circle. One of them pointed a gun at her and demanded property or money, according to a St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office release.

She didn’t have anything, so they got into a car, a Toyota, and left. She then called the Sheriff’s Office.

As the suspects were fleeing the scene Sheriff’s Office Deputy Richard Thurmond was responding to call.

Around 10:36 a.m., Thurmond, 35, was driving south on State Road 13 with emergency lights and sirens on when he crashed into the back of a Pontiac, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report.

The driver of the Pontiac, Stacey Pilinko, 53, of St. Johns, stopped to turn left onto Scott Road when the patrol car struck the right rear of the Pontiac, according to the report. Thurmond’s patrol car went off the road and struck a tree.

He was pinned in the car for about 30 minutes, according to a St. Johns County Fire Rescue report. Thurmond was taken to Shands Jacksonville Medical Center with serious injuries.

Pilinko was taken to Baptist Medical Center South with serious injuries, according to the Florida Highway Patrol report.

Shortly after the attempted robbery, deputies spotted the Toyota at a convenience store nearby, according to the Sheriff’s Office release. At that point, deputies captured a man and a woman who fled into the woods nearby.

Samantha Shantle Lindsay, 18, and Zachary James Shull, 18, of Calladona, Miss., were arrested and charged in connection with the crime, according to the release. Shull was charged with attempted armed robbery, and Lindsay was charged with principle to armed robbery.

Initially, the Sheriff’s Office said Lindsay lived in Idaho, but her booking record listed her as homeless from St. Augustine.

“She was involved in the process,” Mulligan said. “She’s a part of the overall issues that occurred, but she’s not the person who pointed the handgun.”

Deputies believe Dustin Layne Vann, 26, drove the car away from the convenience store where the other suspects fled, leading deputies on a chase until he crashed the car in the 10,600 block of County Road 13, according to the release. He fled into the woods. Deputies later learned the car had been reported stolen from South Florida.

Vann’s hometown was listed as Ft. Lauderdale in the release. Booking records listed Vann’s hometown as Severn, Md., and then changed it later to homeless from St. Augustine.

Deputies began searching the wooded area. A short time later, Mark Flippin called the Sheriff’s Office to say that his truck had just been stolen.

Flippin said he was working inside a home on County Road 208 where he is remodeling a kitchen and had left the keys to his black Chevy Silverado in the garage.

He heard helicopters and the sound of squealing tires, apparently from the chase going on nearby.

When he came out, the truck was gone.

“He must have been in the woods watching us,” Flippin said. “I just came out and the truck was gone.”

“I pretty much figured out what happened,” he said.

The description of Flippin’s truck went out to other deputies. Shortly after, the truck was spotted at the back of the Kangaroo on State Road 16 and Interstate 95, and Vann was at the store.

“He was taken down at gunpoint,” Mulligan said.

Vann was later charged with aggravated fleeing and attempting to elude, attempted armed robbery, grand theft auto and violation of probation, according to the release. All three suspects are facing numerous other felony charges from South Florida, although no details were provided. The investigation is ongoing.

A deputy took Flippin to the Kangaroo, and he stood just inside a line of caution tape that afternoon as deputies combed the truck for evidence.

The truck did not look damaged, Flippin said, but it appeared the suspect had left some things behind.

“I did see a Kentucky Fried Chicken cup in the cup holder that’s not mine,” he said.

Flippin said the incident “could have been worse,” and he was ready to return go back to the home on C.R. 208 to finish his work.

“It’s been quite a day,” he said.

TIMELINE

Shortly before 10:30 a.m.:

Woman reports that she was robbed while walking her dog off C.R. 13 on Vintage Oak Circle.

10:36 a.m.:

Deputy Richard Thurmond crashes his patrol car into another car and then hits a tree on State Road 13 at Scott Road while heading to the crime scene. He is seriously injured. He and the other driver are taken to hospitals.

A short time later:

The getaway car is spotted at convenience store near the crime scene. Deputies capture and arrest two people who fled into the woods near the store. The other suspect leaves in the car.

Less than an hour after the robbery:

The suspect crashes the car in 10,600 block of C.R. 13 and flees to the woods.

A truck is reported stolen from a home on County Road 208 around 11 a.m. A description of the truck is sent to deputies.

Around noon:

The truck and suspect are found at the Kangaroo on State Road 16 near Interstate 95. The suspect is taken into custody and later arrested on a robbery charge.